Why are writing curmudgeons so surly? Perhaps it’s because
sloppiness and inconsistency can seem like a personal affront. Details that
others overlook bother us deeply.

Not every writing detail has a rule; some points are left to
the writer’s discretion. But discretion should be exercised consistently,
with the reader’s interests in mind.

There are multiple ways that you can make the curmudgeon in
your life slightly happier. Just pay attention to detail and be consistent.
A few of our pet peeves are explained below.

Page Numbers
Please number the pages of your document. How hard is it to insert
page numbers? A few clicks of your mouse? How hard is it for the reader
to refer back to page seven? Not at all, unless the reader has to count
the document’s pages first.

An added benefit here is that in your final review of the printed
document, you’ll notice whether the computer skipped a page. You do flip
through all of the pages after printing a final document the final time,
right?

One more request: Please use the same style for numbering each
page. You can put dashes around your page numbers; you can put the page number
on the right or left or in the center; and you can use your favorite font.
Just do so consistently.

Justification
If you decide to full justify your text — meaning you have even edges
on both the left and right margins — do so throughout your document.
It’s distracting to have one paragraph full justified and the next
one left justified.

The solution is as easy as blocking all of the text in your
document and clicking on the justification you prefer. (Note that if you
have headings or tables, you may want to leave them out of the blocked text.)

Space
Please use the same amount of space between each sentence. Sloppy spacing
especially shows in documents that are not full justified.

Back when we all used typewriters, the standard was two spaces.
Curmudgeons like me still prefer that standard. Word processors have made
it acceptable to place just one space between sentences. But, please, choose
one space or two.

Why would a writer separate sentences in a single paragraph
with a variety of spaces? One space here, three spaces there, two spaces
somewhere else, and maybe a stray tab thrown in for good measure. Perhaps
you think that no one cares; curmudgeons take these details personally.

Abandoned Words
Sometimes a paragraph ends at the top of the following page with just
a word or two. Those words seem abandoned by their paragraph, and they
can lose their meaning. If a staple has crept too far from the margin,
the abandoned words may disappear completely.

A similar problem can occur when a single line of a paragraph
begins at the bottom of one page, with the rest of the text on the following
page. Whether you call the abandoned words widows or orphans (most folks
don’t know the difference), your favorite curmudgeon will appreciate
your giving the abandoned words some support.

Two lines of text should be the minimum appearing at the bottom
or top of a page. Most computers can be set to avoid widows and orphans.
Alternatively, a hard page break does the trick. If you feel uncomfortable
leaving blank space at the bottom of a page, add a few slash marks (///)
just before the page break. One judge I know does this to keep sneaky lawyers
from adding text to his orders.

Beheaded Headings
To continue the theme, please do not end a page with a heading. The
reader is likely to skip over it and wonder how you changed gears so quickly
from one paragraph to the next. The solution is simple:just use a page
break to keep the heading with the following text. No beheadings!

Consistent Heading Format
If you want to italicize your headings, great! But please do so consistently.
Don’t italicize the first, underline the second, and capitalize the
third. (In fact, try to avoid writing headings in all capitals, which can
be hard to read.)

And while we’re being picky, be sure to make a last run
through your document to ensure that the headings create a table of contents
that flows in a logical order. Skipping from B to D without C may turn the
gentlest of readers into a cranky curmudgeon.

Consistent Abbreviations
Most of us abbreviate personal titles most of the time. So the curmudgeon
will notice when "Dr. Martinez" morphs into "Doctor Martinez." There’s
no reason to change, so why make the curmudgeon unhappy?

Indentation
If you decide to indent each paragraph in your document one-half inch
(the standard), it’s best not switch to one-quarter inch on page
two.

Realize that the computer is your enemy here, and when you
use an automatic outline function, the computer is likely to fiddle with
your indentation. The computer will make things pretty, but perhaps at the
cost of consistency. Use Ctrl+Z or Apple+Z to assert your will over the mindless
set of keys in front of you.

States and Dates
This pet peeve actually has a rule, but so few writers follow it that
I must mention it. States and dates need commas to fence them off from
the rest of the sentence.

Example: An attorney from Enterprise, Oregon, is visiting the
law school on October 16, 2007, to meet with students interested in working
in the area.

The sentence has two clarifications: Enterprise is in Oregon
and the visit will occur in 2007. Those details need to be corralled with
commas on both sides. It is not enough to put a comma before the
state or date.

Incorrect: An attorney from Enterprise, Oregon is visiting
the law school on October 16, 2007 to meet with students interested in working
in the area.

Think of a fence on just the west side of your property. Your
cattle could still roam all the way to New Jersey.

Font
Whenever you have a choice of font type and size, consider the curmudgeon
in making your selection. Choose both a type and size that are easy on
tired eyes. Then use that font consistently.

Sometimes the gremlins that live in your computer will change
the font when you glance away from the screen. More often, you will cut and
paste a quote from another document, which existed in another format. Blocking
your document and clicking on your selected font should achieve the consistency
that puts curmudgeons a bit closer to heaven.

Caveat
Sometimes the recipient of your document will have rules or expectations
about the points noted above. It’s good to check for court rules
or office standards before assuming that you get to have your way. When
you are free to exercise discretion, remember the curmudgeon who may read
your document and exercise your power consistently.

ABOUT THE AUTHORSuzanne E. Rowe is an associate professor at the University of Oregon
School of Law, where she directs the Legal Research and Writing Program.
She can be reached at srowe@law.uoregon.edu.